The communist nations of China and Cuba have reached a clandestine agreement for Beijing to establish an espionage facility on the island.
China’s proposal involves the construction of an electronic eavesdropping facility in Cuba, roughly 100 miles from Florida, which would allow Chinese intelligence services to easily monitor American ship traffic and scoop up electronic communications throughout the southeastern United States, which incidentally is home to many critical military bases. (Related: Chinese spy balloon collected intelligence from military sites and transmitted it to Beijing in real time.)
The headquarters of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, is at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. One of the Army’s largest military installations, Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, is in North Carolina.
Officials familiar with the agreement who spoke with the Wall Street Journal claim that China has agreed to pay the cash-strapped and isolated Cuba several billions of dollars to allow the construction of the eavesdropping station and that the two nations have reached an agreement in principle.
The Wall Street Journal also spoke with several U.S. officials who described the intelligence on the planned Cuba site as convincing. They noted that the base would enable China to conduct signals intelligence, which could include monitoring a wide range of communications, including phone calls, satellite transmissions and emails.
The officials the news outlet spoke to declined to provide any more details about the proposed listening station, including its location or whether construction had already begun.
These same officials noted that it is difficult to determine what, if anything, the administration of President Joe Biden can do to stop the completion of the facility.
Cuba, White House deny report of possible Chinese spy base on island
In Havana, Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio dismissed the report as “totally mendacious and unfounded,” calling it an American fabrication meant to justify Washington’s decades-old economic embargo against the island. He claimed that Cuba rejects all foreign military presence in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Even the White House has denied the accuracy of Wall Street Journal’s reporting. Spokesman for the National Security Council John Kirby claimed it “is not accurate.”
“We remain confident that we are able to meet all our security commitments at home and in the region,” he said, without specifying what the White House believed was incorrect with the reporting. Kirby added that the White House is concerned about China’s relationship with Cuba and was closely monitoring any developments in this field.
Department of Defense Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder also dismissed the report, saying the Pentagon is “not aware of China and Cuba developing a new type of spy station.”
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. refused to comment on the report.
While both Cuba and the White House deny the claim, a joint statement from the Senate Intelligence Committee notes that top lawmakers are convinced. They wrote that a Chinese eavesdropping facility in Cuba would pose a “serious threat to our national security and sovereignty” and urged Biden and his administration to take action.
“We are deeply disturbed by reports that Havana and Beijing are working together to target the United States and our people,” wrote Chairman Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and Vice Chairman Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
If China ends up admitting to the existence of the eavesdropping facility, analysts noted that Beijing would easily argue that the base is justified because of U.S. military and intelligence activities close to China, including military aircraft flights over the South China Sea and engaging in electronic surveillance against Chinese vessels and bases in the international waters, which the Chinese Communist Party claims as its sovereign territory.
China will also likely use the example of Taiwan, to which the U.S. regularly sells arms and military vehicles, deploys a small number of troops there to train its military and regularly sails U.S. Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait in shows of force.
An eavesdropping facility so close to the American mainland would make clear that “China is prepared to do the same in America’s backyard,” warned Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the national security think tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
“Establishing this facility signals a new, escalatory phase in China’s broader defense strategy. It’s a bit of a game changer,” he added. “The selection of Cuba is also intentionally provocative.”
Learn the latest news from socialist nations like China and Cuba at Communism.news.
Watch this clip from the “Worldview Report” as host Brannon Howse and guest David Pyne discuss the report of China building a spy base in Cuba.
This video is from the Worldview Report channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Border officials see significant increase in illegal crossing by Chinese nationals, increasing risk of ChiCom infiltration and spying.
- GOP lawmakers question regulators about China’s access to US financial data via trading platforms.
- Biden proves once again he’s in the pocket of the Chinese government with move to provide Confucius Institutes with taxpayer funds.
- DHS invites communist state sponsor of terrorism to tour US maritime security facilities.
- INDOCTRINATED: Chinese firms with ties to the CCP are purchasing American private schools with strong military training programs.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
